Device for moving curtainlike roundhorizons



' 1,562,220 R. FRITSCH I DEVICE FOR MOVING CURTAIN LIKEROUND HORIZONS Nov. 17 1925- Filed June 20, 1923 QQ Y Car Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

' UNITED 'STAT-ES 1,562,220 PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF FBITSCH, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR 'MOVING CURTAINLIKE ROUNDHORIZON S.

Application filed June 20, 1923.

the latter is raised or lowered for a dis-v tance corresponding to the thickness of said rope on each revolution of the drum.

Now the novelty of the round-horizon moving device of the kind hereinbefore stated consists of the driving-rope vor the horizon-rope carrying the web or cloth is driven in alternate directions by a Windlass or drum. In case the free extremity of the horizon-rope carrying the web or cloth acts as a driving-rope of the conical'drum, said rope is driven by two windlasses alternately engaging or disengaging in accordance with the direction of their rotation. A weighted pulley or disc carrying a loose rope is arranged between windlasses and tightens the rope. y

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, and wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views-Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal elevations of a curtain-like round-horizon moving device anda modification of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device showing the drum in the position at the beginning of the winding up of the rope. Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section of the device showing the part in position after the winding up of the roundhorizon.

The rope used in combination with the object of the present invention diagrammatically shown in the drawing is driven or moved by a Windlass such as generally used in vessels, or for moving or displacing railway-cars. In view of the fact that the rope used in the device forming the object of the invention is permanently wound up and ofl at the same place it is not necessary to omit pulley-blocks in the illustrations.

For tightening the single rope, Fig. 1

Serial No. 646,721.

the extremities of which are fastenedto the conical drum 5 used for supporting the round-horizon a, two Windlass drums b and a are provided arrangedon a common shaft. Suitable means are employed whereby one of said drums automatically couples itself to the shaft depending upon the direction of the rotation of the shaft, whereas the other drum is disengaged.

The rope running, according to the position shown in Fig. 1, off the coupled windlass, is guided around a weighted compensating-pulley e and around the disengaged Windlass from which said rope runs into the race of the round horizon a. The compensating-pulley e automatically takes up I the resulting taut-rope or furnishes a corresponding length 'of the rope in case it is shortened. During the rotation of the shaft in an opposite direction the Windlass d disengaged up to this time. is automatically coupled, whereas the windlass in operation before is disengaged. The windlass 01 now coupled or engaged immediately acts on the rope to tighten it whereby a starting of the round-horizon by jerks occurring with a slackened rope is obviated.

In the device shown in Fig. 2 two separate ropes are used each of them being fastened by one extremity to the conical drum Z) used for supporting theweb or cloth of the round-horizon. Theother rope serves to drive the conical drum. In this modified device only one Windlass 0 need be employed. Thefree extremities'are as maybe required alternately laid on the Windlass and the rope winding down is kept taut by hand. J

As seen in Figs. 3 and 4:, g is an elongated race provided with corresponding notches and rigidly connected with a ground frame h. In this frame two guide bars 6 partly provided with teeth are inserted; a support Z is slidable on said bars. This support is rigidly connected with the spindle is provided in its upper part with a longitudinal groove in which a rack m is inserted. The thread of the rack is of a pitch corresponding to the thickness of the rope. A nut carrying the cone engages the thread of the spindlelc whereas the cone 1) carries on its upper or front surface the guide-box 0 engaging a recess provided in the rack m. Said rack meshes with the wheel p fastened to the spindle g ournaled in the support Z.

On the extremities of this spindle there are small wheels engaging the teeth of the guide-bars i, the diameters of said small wheels being in a ratio to the diameter of the wheel p corresponding to the stopping of the cone 5. v

Said cone 1) is rotated in the manner described by drawing or pulling the driving rope wound 011 it and fastened to it by the upper extremity of the rope mentioned with the result that the rope fastened on the lower extren'lity and carrying the round-horizon is wound up. Simultaneously the cone 6 moves downwards during each of its revo lutions by the nut n rotating together with said cone on a length corresponding to the thickness of the rope. During said rotation the box 0 correspondingly takes with it the rack m in a downward direction rotating the wheel 2) and the small wheels 1 whereby the support Z and with it the spindle is is, together with the cone 6, horizontally displaced in such a manner that the distance between the slide and the race-shank g is not altered.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the kind described a conical drum, a rope passing round said drum and having a horizontal portion for supporting a web or curtain, devices for winding said rope upon the said drum and unwinding the same therefrom, and means for displacing said drum so that the line on which the rope winds upon and unwinds from the said drum is a stationary one.

2. In a device of the kind described a conical drum, a rope passing round said drum and having its extremities secured therein, the said rope having a horizontal portion for supporting a web or curtain, a Windlass for winding the rope upon the conical drum and unwinding the rope therefrom, and means for displacing the said drum so that the line on which the rope winds upon and unwinds from the said conical drum is a stationary one.

3. In a device of the kind described a conical drum, a rope passing round said conical drum with the ends thereof secured in the conical drum, and the rope having a portion running horizontally for supporting a web or curtain, windlasses by which the rope is wound upon and unwound from the said drum to turn the same, and means for displacing said drum both laterally and longitudinally of its axis, whereby the line on which the rope winds upon and unwinds from the said drum is a stationary one.

4. In a device of the kind described a conical drum, a frame, guide-bars connected to the said frame, a support slidable on the guide-bars, a spindle attached to the said slidable support, and upon which the said conical drum is revolvable, a rack associated with the said spindle, a wheel meshing with the rack, a shaft upon which the said wheel is mounted, the shaft being journaled in the said slidable support, gears on the said shaft meshing with teeth on the said guide-bars, a race shank, a rope passing through the said race shank, and around the said conical drum with the ends thereof fixed in the conical drum, the said rope having a horizontally disposed portion for the support of a web or curtain, and means for moving the said rope in alternate directions to turn the said conical drum, first in one direction and then in the other, whereby, in turning the conical drum the same is shifted both laterally and longitudinally of its axis, to cause the line on which the rope winds upon and unwinds from the said conical drum to be a stationary one.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name this 2nd day of June, 1923.

RUDOLF FRITSCH. 

